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Author Notes:Showing up at a new neighbor’s house with a dish of tabouleh in hand is the perfect ice breaker and welcome-to-the-neighborhood gift. After a full day of unpacking and getting settled in he or she will be hungry and tired. Some of my best times with friends has involved great food, great weather and great conversations. Hopefully this recipe can lead to some great times for you! —Megan Brown

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Serves 4

1
cup medium-grain bulgur, which you can find at most natural food/health food stores

2.5
cups boiling water

1
teaspoon salt

2
cups tomatoes, any variety

2
cups cucumber

1/2
onion, red or sweet vidalia

1
cup packed fresh parsley

1/2
cup fresh mint

1/2
cup fresh basil

2
lemons

1/4
cup olive oil

1/2
teaspoon pepper

Pita bread & chopped lettuce, for serving

Put the bulgur in a heat-proof bowl that holds at least 2 quarts. Pour the boiling water over it, stir in the salt, and cover the bowl with an inverted plate. Allow the bulgur to soak for about 30 minutes, or until it's tender but still has a bit of a bite to it. Drain the water, press the bulgur down and drain any additional water you can get out of it.

While the barley soaks, dice the tomatoes and cucumbers, discarding the seeds if they are too juicy. Any type of tomato works for this recipe. Cherry tomatoes add lots of flavor, roma tomatoes giving a good, hearty texture and other garden tomatoes adding sweetness, too. You can even use a mix of types if you'd like.

Peel the onion and mince it. If you don't have a red or sweet vidalia onion, you can substitute shallots, leeks or green onions for a different flavor.

Wash the fresh herbs, pull the leaves off the stems and mince them. Be careful to use a sharp knife so as not to overly bruise the herbs.

Zest both lemons and mince the zest into small pieces. Then juice both lemons as well.

Mix the vegetables, herbs, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and pepper into the cooked bulgur. Stir to evenly mix the ingredients and refrigerate until chilled.

Serve on a bed of chopped lettuce, alongside pita bread or in pita pockets.